


Comfort Will Rest on my Shoulder

by brinnanza



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 06:06:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5153096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brinnanza/pseuds/brinnanza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They’ve shared far worse accommodations off-world before, so instead of protesting or complaining or requesting different quarters, Sheppard just thanks her and bids her goodnight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comfort Will Rest on my Shoulder

**Author's Note:**

> From number six [here](http://brinnanza.tumblr.com/post/130839577231/nonsexual-acts-of-intimacy-select-from-the).

The Khryan inn has two rooms available for them, so Sheppard sends Teyla and Ronon into the first and follows the innkeeper, a spindly, dark-haired woman named Myrren, down the hall to the second. She shows Sheppard and McKay to a room with only one bed. They’ve shared far worse accommodations off-world before, so instead of protesting or complaining or requesting different quarters, Sheppard just thanks her and bids her goodnight.

The Khreyans are allies, good friends of Teyla’s people, so Sheppard’s sweep of the room is fairly cursory. There’s a sturdy-looking wooden table and a couple of chairs tucked in one corner, a window curtained with stiff fabric, more than sufficient for blocking out the planet’s early sunrise. The bed is large and plush-looking, draped in brightly-colored blankets and a mountain of pillows. It’s in the center of the room, taking up most of the available floor space.

McKay sits down on the edge of the bed, testing its firmness with one hand as he unstraps his vest with the other. “Could be worse,” he announces, which is probably the closest thing to a rave review of the mattress that Sheppard can ask for. 

They chat while they get ready for bed: gossip about Atlantis, McKay’s projects, the relative merit of the Star Wars prequels (“Seriously, _CGI Yoda_ ,” McKay complains, but Sheppard likes them. “Padme’s pretty cool,” he says. “She was pretty hot in _Revenge of the Sith_ ,” says McKay, and Sheppard rolls his eyes because yeah, she was, but that’s kind of missing the point). 

McKay doesn’t have to ask what side he wants, just slides in on the left and pulls up the blankets, tapping idly on a tablet while he waits for Sheppard to turn out the lights.

Sheppard makes his way back to the bed in the dark, navigating by memory and the dim glow of Rodney’s tablet, and climbs into the bed next to McKay. He lies on his back, his arms crossed under his head. They’re close enough for Sheppard to feel the warmth of McKay’s skin, but they’re not quite touching.

“Get some sleep, McKay,” Sheppard says, glancing over at the other man. “I don’t wanna listen to you bitch all day tomorrow about how you’re tired.”

“Please,” McKay scoffs. “I could spend another four hours working on this and I’d still have gotten more sleep than I usually do. Sleep’s no substitute for caffeine.”

“I think that’s supposed to be other way around.”

McKay snorts, but he turns off the tablet and leans over the side of the bed to tuck it in his bag. Without the light from the screen, the room is pitch black. Sheppard can feel the bed shift, hear the rustling noises as McKay settles into a more comfortable position, but it takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

When McKay finally stills, he’s on his side, facing away from Sheppard. He’ll stay there for an hour or so, Sheppard knows, but eventually, he’ll roll over, taking the covers with him, and sprawl out on his stomach, shoving Sheppard over until he’s on the edge of the bed with just enough room for the exact width of his body. McKay’s not a cuddler, not unless he’s had quite a lot to drink, and Sheppard’s got the military ability to sleep in whatever conditions are available, so it works out alright.

The routine is familiar. It reminds Sheppard of the early days of his marriage, actually, the easy, casual intimacy borne of two people who spend so much time together. Sheppard thinks maybe it should worry him or freak him out that it’s like this with Rodney of all people, but it doesn’t. It’s just.. comfortable.

He lies awake, listening to Rodney’s slow, even breathing until he falls asleep.


End file.
